Panama Yacht Charter

Panama in the southernmost country of Central America and it connects Central America to South America, which give it status as a transcontinental nation. It borders Costa Rica to the north-west, Colombia to the south-east, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The country’s most prominent geographical feature is the mountain range that divides the country, forming a spine-like chain down the center. Typical of this area, it is covered by rainforest which are almost impenetrable in certain areas. When visiting Panama, your travel itinerary is virtually limitless! There is plenty to explore via land or sea.

You can enjoy the huge surf and active watersporting community that this region has become know for, or you can easily sail to the Caribbean’s calm, blue waters. The Panama Canal makes the journey from the Pacific to the Caribbean and vice versa very simple. You can cut through Panama without going all the way around South America. You will be subject to some tolls, but you will save yourself about 8,ooo miles!

The best yacht charter grounds are Panama’s many islands. Island chains include the San Blas Islands, Pearl Islands, Bocas del Toro, Taboga Islands, Coiba Island, and Isla Grande/ Portobelo. These islands are surrounded by coral reefs and crystal clear to deep inky blue waters perfect for sailing and diving, covered by mountains and jungle, and lined with a gorgeous variety of beaches.

The Pearl Islands consist of 90 islands and 130 islets off the coast of Panama City. These islands go their name from the many pearl laden oysters living in their waters. Pearls have been harvested here for centuries and have adorned European royalty, including “La Peregria,” the 400 year old 31 carat pearl.

Contadora, named as a counting house for the pearls, is an entirely different island travelling experience. It is the largest and most frequently visited island of the Pearl Island chain, and it is located about 50 miles off the coast of Panama City in the Pacific Ocean. This island is much more heavily populated than the rest of San Blas and features luxury resorts, restaurants, a dive shop, and a golf course. You can sunbathe on one of its 13 beaches or travel to one of the nearby uninhabited islands for a little more privacy. There are five coral fields around the island offering the same spectacular diving as the rest of the region, as well as the same plethora of marine life. Contadora is also home to gorgeous white sand beaches and homes of many of the world’s rich and famous.

The San Blas Islands is a chain of islands off the northeast coast of Panama in the Caribbean Sea. There are no roads or ferries to the islands; you can get here on one of many small private planes or by private boat. There are some ferry services between the islands. Coconut palms line golden beaches, coral reefs and blue-green waters ring islands and jungle cloaks the mountains making San Blas look like paradise, but the main reason for going there is to spend time with the Kuna, San Blas natives who have kept their culture alive and flourishing. They inhabit about 40 of the islands and live simple village based lives and they have governed this autonomous province since the 1920s. You can visit the island of El Povenir if you are interested in learning about the Kuna people. Accommodations on land are generally simple is rustic thatched roof cabins, sometimes with hammocks instead of beds. Saling and diving around these islands is excellent, the season is between April and June.

Bocas del Toro, or the “mouth of the bull” is the name of the province that borders Costa Rica in the northwest corner of Panama. This area was never colonized and has had a more peaceful history than the surrounding area. This chain consists of six large islands and numerous smaller islets, all of which offer mainly ecotours. The beaches here are silver in color and the water is emerald green.

Isla Colon is the most visited and developed of this chain and has a number of hotels. It even has an airport with daily flights to and from Panama City. This is the only island in this chain with no roads, most of the traffic is by scooter or water. The best times to visit are February to April and September to October.

Some of the islands are within the marine Parque Nacional Bastimentos, this provides protection for nesting turtles, aquatic birds and mammals, and consequently has terrific spots for diving, snorkeling and swimming. The best places for diving are Hospital Point, Coral Key, Dark Wood Reef and Punta Juan buoy. For snorkeling, the Garden near Cayo Nancy, Hospital Point and Punta Juan buoy are excellent. Boating, sport fishing and kayaking are popular everywhere. One of the most spectacular beaches is Red Frog Beach, so called because it is the only home to a thumbnail sized species of frogs that are bright red with black spots. Surfing is popular at Punch Beach on Isla Colon, and surfers are excited about a big reef break called Silverbacks on Bastimentos Island.
As evidenced by the list of different activities, there is something for everyone in Panama or one of its surrounding islands. The culture, geography, flora, and fauna are so varied here it is amazing. Although this is a fairly small territory of the globe, you could really spend a lifetime here exploring and still not see all of it.